1. Introduction 2 Corinthians 13:14 The fellowship of the Holy Spirit.   2Co 13:14May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.   The fellowship of the Holy Spirit.   It is clear that Paul is seeking to get across two principles here.   The fellowship that the holy Spirit creates between the saints – this is backed up by other verses that talk of keeping the unity of the Spirit- The shalom of the spirit. The fellowship that we have with the Holy Spirit- His companionship His counsel His constant presence- The walking with Adam in the cool of the evening. His Spirit and our Spirit?

I want to challenge us today to walk in the good of both, but in particular to stir up our recognition that the Holy Spirit is with us, constantly.

 

 

I intend this to be demonstrated amongst us as it already has been.

Throughout the human experience of God we have known Him to be one who longs for relationship.  In our experience of prayer we have discovered Him to be a God who wants to talk to us- if we are prepared to listen.

 

Now what do I mean here. This can really be annoying this talk of listening to God.  .  We must get away from any attempt to cloud our faith in unnecessary mystery.  On what possible grounds can I say that God talks to me – That the Holy Spirit can be in fellowship with us.

 

• On the grounds of The Bible
• On the experience of my life
• On observing other men and women   

 

Turn with me to John 16:5

 

Jn 16:5“Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’

Jn 16:6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief.

Jn 16:7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Jn 16:8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

Jn 16:9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;

Jn 16:10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;

Jn 16:11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Jn 16:12“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.

Jn 16:13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Jn 16:14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

Jn 16:15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

 

Eight times in this passage Jesus tells us that the Spirit will communicate with us. It is not good enough to say that God is not talking to us against this weight of evidence.

 

2. Gods creative intention.

The presence of the Holy Spirit with us is a basic part of God’s creative intention. Just as with the big toe or the eye.

 

Ge 2:7the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

 

In an awesome moment of history Jesus Christ the living Word of God  defied the ages of sin

 

Jn 20:19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

Jn 20:20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Jn 20:21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Jn 20:22And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

 

We did not really breathe until Jesus breathed into us.

 

God spoke a word to us the other week in a prayer time that Our hearts did not start beating until The Heart of Jesus stopped. And then they beat again with the same rhythm as that of God.

 

We do not know life as God intended it until we know that life of Christ.

 

Young babies have been shown to sleep better when they hear the heart beat of their mother.  –To be that close.

That link between God and man was always meant to be from Genesis. God made Adam alive. Jesus makes us alive.

Col3:1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Col3:2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Col3:3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Col3:4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Col3:5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

Col3:6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

Col3:7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

Col3:8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

Col3:9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

Col3:10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Col3:11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Col3:12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Col3:13Bear with each other and forgivewhatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Col3:14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Col3:15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Col 3:16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Col 3:17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

 

3. How can we increase our fellowship?

These verses show us that there is an act of will required a decision to live in the good of God’s word.  To believe.

 

Sometimes when all the world screams no we have to stand and say yes.

I so enjoy the times when I feel God s presence fills every pore of my being in worship.

 

But I cannot be dependent on when I feel I have to believe

 

I signed for an Acts 2 Church- Yes an acts 2:42 Church But also an Acts 2:43,44,45 etc Church.

 

Ac 2:42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Ac 2:43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

 

The miracles start in here.

The transformation begins in here.

 

You can plead with God – Where is the God of Elijah?

When will the Spirit of God walk with His people again

 

And heaven will cry back –Where are the Elijah’s of God.?

When will my people walk with my Spirit again?

 

However long it is since you first came to Christ

However long since you received the Holy Spirit first

God wants us to say yes today and receive Him today. For the first or the four hundred and forty first time. To receive again of His spirit. to live again in the truth of His word. To say yes and then believe.

 

To trust the words that come to you- the images that come to you the tongues that come to you-

 

I hope you all heard that bit.  Don’t wait for the mighty rushing wind or tongues of fire before you hear God

 

If you have never asked God to fill you with His Holy Spirit –do it today,  If you have asked but then got confused or nothing seemed to happen then ask again today.

 

I so want God to fill me like me don’t hold back from asking.